Waiting for the Lord's Return
by Ace Trainer Alicia
Summary: Our dear World Guardian has some catching up to do with a friend. How they catch up, however, might very well surprise her. Azzy/WG, lemonade, oneshot


**_Warning: Lemon/smut; Mahjarrat/human. Read at your own discretion!_**

* * *

The purple-haired adventurer stood silently before the restored altar of Zaros, pausing to wring out her pigtails before gazing at the communion portal behind the altar. She stayed like that for a long moment before wringing out her hair again, setting her staff down, and kneeling to pray, shivering a little from being so wet.

Azzanadra watched her pray at a distance, a sense of relief overcoming him. He hadn't seen the young adventurer since the whole Guthix nonsense had happened, and it had been rather worrisome that she hadn't come here to pay her respects to the Empty Lord yet since then. What could have kept her? Perhaps she had been assisting Soran? It seemed there had been no need to worry—she had proven herself invaluable and loyal many times, and indeed here she was now.

She slowly rose to her feet, wringing some of the water out of her silvery-blue overcoat before she picked up her staff again. Azzanadra wasn't sure if she intended to stay awhile or to leave immediately to dry off and sleep, but whichever it was, he did wish to know how she fared.

"Jaina! Wait."

Jaina turned, startled, towards the sound of the voice. As she caught sight of the Mahjarrat slowly approaching her, her face turned a deep red color, and she smiled rather awkwardly.

"Oh! Good evening, Azzanadra… I… I didn't see you there…"

She twisted her left pigtail to wring it out further, and Azzanadra noticed that she was standing uncomfortably close to the altar. Before she had a chance to wring out the other pigtail again, he was quick to snatch her hand. "Watch where you do that! You'll get the altar all wet!"

Jaina hastily moved further away from the altar and tried to pull her hand back. "I-I'm sorry… I… I should've paid more attention…"

Azzanadra's expression softened a little, though he didn't release her hand. He hadn't meant to yell at her like that, and it wasn't her fault she'd had to walk through rain to get here—but there were delicate magicks woven within that altar, and Zaros only knew what might happen if it got wet!

Still rather firmly hanging onto her hand, he motioned for her to follow him. "Come over here."

Jaina shivered as she followed behind him, trying to keep a bit of a distance. Zaros was likely going to be greatly displeased at her for getting water all over the temple floor, and she really did not want to get on the Empty Lord's bad side. It was bad enough she'd forgotten to pay a visit until now because she'd been spending all her time on divination lately, in hopes it would take her mind off the accursed battle in Lumbridge. She wasn't sure she should blame Saradomin and Zamorak for her forgetfulness, however; she should have come sooner—there was no good excuse.

Oh, why did it have to be raining so hard now? Why did Azzanadra of all people have to see her like this? There wasn't even much she could do about it, either. She hadn't packed a change of clothes or runes for a fire spell, and it wasn't like there was anywhere she could change in here. Oh well, at least her dress and overcoat weren't ruined from the rain.

"So, um…" she finally said, desperately trying to ignore how uncomfortable her wet clothes felt. "Has there been any progress towards Zaros' glorious return or anything?"

"Not at the moment, but it should happen in due time." He let her hand go and turned to face her. "I do hope you will be there to witness it when it does happen."

"I… Me too." She nodded and averted her gaze, wringing her hands a bit. "I—I tried my best that time—in Guthix's chambers, I mean…"

"Ah yes, you were a great ally to us there—thank you." A hint of a smile crossed his face briefly. "I will be sure to tell Zaros of your part in it when I can. But what has kept you?"

"I was looking into the art of divination," Jaina replied, looking ashamed. "You know those wisps that recently appeared near the ruins up above? There are more like them around the world, and their energies can be harvested to transmute objects or returned to the anima craters nearby to heal the world's scars. I-I've also helped Soran out when I can…" She frowned, biting her lip. "Divination really is fascinating, but… I should be honest with you. It… it was a welcome distraction… Too good of one…"

"What were you trying to distract yourself from?"

"I…" She felt her jaw latch shut, tears welling up in her eyes. No, she shouldn't cry, not in front of him; he would think she was being foolish and stupid. "My hometown… Saradomin… Zamorak… everyone, everywhere, keeps talking about it constantly, asking me when I'm going to go fight for Saradomin and aren't I worried about Zamorak destroying Lumbridge…"

She let out a choked sob, unable to hold back the tears. "I don't want to fight for either of them… I couldn't; that would be giving them my loyalty… and I could never help them, knowing what they've done… I don't want them anywhere near Lumbridge, but I-I can't do anything about it!" Covering her face with her hand, she let out a pained wail. "Guthix… what was he thinking? Did he seriously expect me to singlehandedly banish gods or bend them to my will? If he really cared for Gielinor, for mortals, why did he leave it vulnerable like this… when he could have protected it instead?"

Turning away, she sank to her knees, her face buried in her hands as she quietly cried. Azzanadra would likely think her weak now, for breaking down and crying in the face of great adversity instead of facing it bravely and formulating a plan. He might still need to rely on her, since Zaros considered her important to his plans somehow, but that wouldn't stop him from thinking less of her for making a fool of herself. At least he was one friend she could actually tell the truth to, and she did feel like a weight had come off her shoulders for finally being able to tell it…

Suddenly she could feel strong hands on her waist and shoulder, slowly guiding her back onto her feet. Turning her back around, Azzanadra tilted her chin up so that she was looking directly at him, brushing most of the tears away.

"Guthix may have been a fool, but you are by no means bound to whatever thoughtless plan he envisioned for you. As for Saradomin and Zamorak, they were foolish to rush into battle as well—we, on the other hand, must plan our path carefully. It will not be long now before Zaros is able to return at last! As for your hometown, you are right—direct action about the situation would not be reasonable, but you are likely not completely powerless. Have you considered sending resources or evacuating the citizens?"

Jaina stared up at him, trembling at the warm touch of his hand. "Soran did suggest I do those sorts of things, yes… I-I don't know if it will be enough, though…"

"Any assistance is better than none—surely the citizens will appreciate all the help they receive in their time of greatest need." He brushed away the rest of her tears and looked her over. "Ah, not to trivialize this matter, but something occurs to me… did you get the gift I sent you for your birthday?"

Jaina drew back in surprise, blushing a deep red. That was yet another thing she had foolishly forgotten—she should have worn that lovely shirt, but it would have taken too much time to run and change even if she had thought of it before; besides, she didn't dare risk getting something so delicate wet. Well, she might be one to talk, given how much her current clothing had cost, but still.

"Yes… it's so beautiful. I… I don't know how to thank you…"

"Merely wearing it would be suitable thanks. Any reason you aren't wearing it at the moment?"

"I didn't want to damage it." Jaina looked down at her hands again. "I'd be wearing it now, but it's been raining too hard for that, and I didn't want to keep y—I mean, Zaros waiting too long…"

Azzanadra found it hard to hide his disappointment. As pleasing as it was to know that she appreciated his gift, he had been rather looking forward to actually seeing what it looked like on her.

"I would still very much like to see you in it," he said. "It would suit you well."

Jaina smiled awkwardly and blushed an even brighter red, staring intently at her hands. "Oh… really? It… it does go well with my hair…"

Such a strange reaction to a compliment… however, Azzanadra was getting sort of used to the odd way she acted around him. Not that he understood it at all—why would she want to shy away from him or look anywhere but at him when she so clearly fancied him? If that was the human way of expressing affection, then it was certainly a wonder that Gielinor was so full of them.

For that matter, why wouldn't she even admit her feelings? He was certainly well aware how drawn to him she had become—it was painfully obvious to anyone with half a brain. She had nothing to lose by confessing it; what did she think he was going to do, blow her head off with a blood spell? Or was she merely worried that he would spurn her affections? That might be it, but even Enakhra was at least straightforward about her slavering desire for Zamorak, and that was more onesided than a line in the sand. She had told Wahisietel already; if she could tell his brother, why couldn't she just tell him directly?

He wasn't going to wonder for much longer—she would confess before they parted ways this evening. She might very well be surprised by what she might learn.

"Oh, speaking of Guthix," Jaina suddenly spoke up, trying to wring out her skirt a bit, "why… why did Sliske suddenly decide to do that?"

"If I knew the answer to that, I'd tell you," Azzanadra said, looking thoughtful. "Sliske may have betrayed our trust… but he did at least kill Guthix in the name of Zaros. He did us all a service, even if we would not agree with his methods."

"So you don't think he was trying to become a god?" She shivered and looked down at her hands. "Ohhh… I'd hate to think of what he would be like as a god…"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I have known Sliske for my entire life, and I do not believe he would ever strive for that. It would be too much responsibility for him."

"I—I hope you're right…" Her voice was shaking just as much as her hands were. "I… Even thinking about him terrifies me… I never want to see him again!"

Azzanadra could certainly understand her fear, and a part of him had been starting to question if Sliske was truly as reliable as he had always been despite his unpredictable ways. There was little point in pondering Sliske and his motives now, however, and she had given him the perfect opportunity to change the subject—if she didn't want to think about Sliske, she wouldn't have to.

"Do you feel the same way towards me?"

Jaina blinked, looking confused. "What?"

"Your fear of Sliske is justified, but I can't help but wonder if you find me intimidating as well." Azzanadra drew closer to her, and she inched slightly further back. "You keep shying away, staring at the floor, wringing your hands… We've been acquainted long enough for you to know I won't harm you, my dear."

Jaina turned a deep red and tried to stifle a gasp. He had actually called her "my dear…" Could he really be… could he really see a simple common-born human that way? He had touched her earlier, but comforting someone in their sadness was something any friend would do; it didn't necessarily mean he was interested in her any further.

"Oh, I… well… I… no!" She wanted to bang her head against the wall; she sounded so stupid. "I mean, I know I wouldn't want you as my enemy, but if I were afraid of you, I-I certainly wouldn't keep coming to see you…"

"Well, if you don't fear me, then you have nothing to fear by saying what you truly think of me." He drew closer again, his dark garnet eyes meeting her smoke-gray ones, and this time she didn't have any away to shy to, because she had backed into a wall.

Jaina could feel her mouth go dry as she noticed her position. Being in the presence of the towering Mahjarrat tended to make her feel small, and such close proximity only made her feel even smaller. She was really, really glad he wasn't her enemy, though she was still extremely nervous.

How in the name of Zaros was she supposed to say how she truly felt? He was probably just going to laugh if she confessed her feelings, and even if he didn't, the uncertainty of how he might react made her too nervous to admit it. It would hurt if he turned her down, but what else could she expect? He was a Mahjarrat and she was a human, he was several thousands of years old and she was barely eighteen, he was a powerful and revered leader and onetime high priest and she was the daughter of a failed adventurer and a common housewife, he was both physically and magically strong and she was fragile and couldn't even lift a sword, he was well-spoken and refined and she spoke with an accent that rich people mocked her for.

Even if he did somehow happened to be interested in her back, how was she supposed to actually be with him? She certainly couldn't do so openly or tell anyone about it. It was obvious how any Saradominist would react, the Zamorakians… well, she didn't know how they would react, but it certainly wouldn't be good, and the Guthixians would think she had betrayed Gielinor and was going to start the next God Wars in the name of misguided love. She wasn't even sure if their fellow Zarosians would approve…

"Go on, Jaina—I don't bite." Three simple words; how hard were they to say? It wasn't like she was confessing to desecrating an altar to Zaros. Humans were so difficult to understand—why would someone so short-lived be so hesitant to express affection anyway? Ah well, he shouldn't get too impatient.

Jaina swallowed hard and wrung her sweating hands. It appeared she wasn't going anywhere until she told the truth, and she had already been brave enough to tell him the truth about her absence—she might as well. She took a deep breath and silently prayed to Zaros to grant her the strength to not sound stupid.

"I… I like you, Azzanadra!"

So she had finally confessed, and Azzanadra was slightly astonished at how sweet it sounded to hear it directly from her. However, her word choice didn't quite seem fitting…

"I presume that's an understatement?"

Jaina's face was still bright red. "Well, uh… yes, I-I mean, not a liking in the ordinary sense, more along the lines of as more than merely friends…"

And there she went again, sounding absolutely stupid! She looked down again, still blushing.

Azzanadra chuckled softly and tilted her chin up so she was looking straight at him. "I know what you mean, my dear; you don't have to over-explain." He lightly brushed a loose strand of hair off her forehead. "Was that really so hard to say? It certainly took you long enough."

Jaina couldn't help but gasp. "You—you knew all along?"

"Oh, it wasn't hard to tell at all. Particularly those times you were only half listening as I answered your questions about the empire because you were staring at me! Why, you should have seen the way your eyes were lit up!"

Predictably, she blushed at that, and he moved his hand downward to touch her cheek. "I do wonder why you didn't confess sooner. Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"I—I didn't think you would care," Jaina said, feeling a shiver go down her spine from his touch. "I mean, as far as almost anything in life goes, you're way up here—" she held up a hand high above her head—"and I'm all the way down here." She moved her hand to her waist level. "Isn't Zaros' return slightly more important than some simple common-born adventurer's little crush?"

She certainly had her priorities straight, and her loyalty was to be admired—but how naïve she was if she thought herself that unimportant to him! It seemed there was much she still had to learn.

"On the contrary, Jaina, while our lord's return is indeed top priority, I do not find you common—and I hardly find your affections to be inconsequential." Taking her hand in his, he graciously kissed it. "Care to dance?"

Jaina wasn't sure how to react. Her hand was trembling; she could still feel his kiss there, though she couldn't quite believe she wasn't dreaming the whole thing. She wasn't quite sure what he meant by that, but as for the dancing… well, she hadn't done so in awhile, but she was at least decent at it, and she could hardly refuse such a request from Zaros' champion.

She slowly nodded and stretched out her other hand, smiling shakily as she placed it on his shoulder. She could only hope that the height difference between them wouldn't make things too awkward.

As he proceeded to lead her in a slow dance, Azzanadra noticed that the young mage's clothing was no longer soaked through, but merely rather damp—the heat from the lava pits in the corners of the temple had likely helped to dry her. Her dress was still clinging rather closely to her figure, though, and he rather appreciated the sight. Human women in general weren't bad to look at, and Jaina was certainly no exception, but she seemed to grow prettier the more he saw her.

He twirled her around and underneath him, noticing how fluidly and gracefully she moved. She was still shaking a bit, but she was clearly quite agile, and she hadn't made a single misstep yet.

Her presence had always been uplifting, but she seemed particularly inviting, alluring even, now… her smoky gray eyes lit up as she smiled at him, and for a moment he imagined her in the elegant robes of a priestess, her hair loose and streaming behind her as they danced for all of Senntisten to see.

"Ah!" She had nearly slipped, but she managed to regain her balance without a hitch.

"You dance quite well." He smiled slightly and brought her to a standstill, though he still kept her hand in his.

"I-I do? Well, I-I'm good at a lot of things," she said, smiling awkwardly.

"Indeed I've noticed." Drawing closer to her, he held her hand a bit more firmly. "Close your eyes."

She stared at him and blinked. "Why?"

So she hadn't cottoned on yet? Even after she had confessed to liking him? How very human of her. "You'll see, my dear… you'll see."

Jaina didn't know what to expect when she closed her eyes, but she didn't have long to wonder before Azzanadra lifted her up, twirling her around, and swiftly captured her lips in a searing kiss. She couldn't help but gasp as her eyes snapped wide open, and almost immediately she felt his tongue glide over her lips, asking for entrance.

She hesitated a moment, still not quite sure what to make of this, and then gave into her curiosity and slowly parted her lips—not too much, just enough to allow him to explore her mouth.

And explore he did, one hand catching in her hair as he deepened the kiss. The height difference did make it harder for her to respond in kind, and she had to rise up on tiptoe, shivering a little as she did so.

When they came up for air, she stood there quietly, gazing up at him with wide eyes. Part of her was still greatly shocked—it was still hard to wrap her head around the idea of him actually being interested in her—but the more curious side of her was wondering if they could do that again.

"I-I—what? Dear Zaros…" she finally managed to say, still staring wide-eyed.

"Were you surprised?"

She merely nodded, and Azzanadra shook his head. "You're a worthy and intelligent one, my dear, but you really should have seen that one coming."

He was still puzzled as to why the purple-haired girl had reacted that way. She shouldn't be so shocked; she was smart enough to put the pieces together. Contact with Zaros wasn't the only thing she had restored; he could feel a growing urge, one he normally ignored and kept at bay. Jaina might be human—extraordinary for her kind, but still human—however, she was still an interested, available female, and quite within reach. He knew he would not be her first, either—she had once had a human husband—and it was better that way, as any Mahjarrat would almost certainly be too much for a human to handle as a first lover.

Dear Zaros, how inviting she looked now, even without the ground shaking! How he wished to kiss her again—and how he wished to touch her further, loosen her hair from those pigtails, free her from that closely clinging dress! The experience would be new, different, just as much so for her as it would be for him…

"Jaina, might I ask a favor of you? Not one for Zaros this time, but for me, personally."

"A personal favor?" Jaina frowned and glanced down at her hands again. "Does it involve anything dangerous?"

She looked back up, feeling his gaze straying over her and seeming to go straight through her. "Oh… or does it have anything to do with the way you're looking at me now?"

His dark eyes were still traveling up and down her figure. "A little slow, aren't you?"

She blinked rapidly in confusion, her face flushing deep red again. "Oh, I… well… Why did you kiss me?"

Did she truly still not get it? This was more than just a little slow on the uptake, and Azzanadra was feeling his patience being tested. How in Zaros' name did she not see what was right in front of her?

"You really do not know? My dear, do you still think your affection is onesided?"

"I—No! I... don't understand, is all…" Jaina sighed, mentally cursing herself for sounding so stupid. "Wait, wait, no, what I mean is… I… Why me? I'm a common-born human from a small town, I can't lift a blade or shoot a bow or defeat creatures that resist magic, I could never hope to match your strength and majesty… I couldn't even stop Lucien, let alone Sliske… and you probably don't even find human women attractive…" She decided to shut up before she could make a fool of herself any further.

"It seems I still have much to show you," Azzanadra said, taking her hand again. "You do realize that none of the progress towards our lord's return, none of this—" he motioned to the surrounding temple— "would be here now if not for you? That I would still be in that blasted pyramid to this day if not for you? That you are still going to be instrumental in Zaros' great plan?"

"I know all that," said Jaina, blushing slightly, "but I'm still just an adventurer, not at all worthy of Zaros' champion himself…"

At this Azzanadra couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Oh, Jaina, quite the contrary—you've more than proven your worth! As for not finding you attractive, well, you're wrong about that as well."

"I-I am?" She shifted nervously in place, blinking in confusion.

"Very wrong indeed. Your human beauty might be unconventional and different from that of a Mahjarrat, but that does not make you any less so." He proceeded to lightly caress her hand, reveling in how sleek and soft it felt to the touch. "Ever since you released me, you have fascinated me… you have accomplished far more than any mere adventurer, and the way you wield magic so fluidly and naturally… You freely embraced the ways of Zaros, have proven yourself loyal to our cause time and again, and have also proven yourself a true friend… Is it, therefore, any wonder that I have come to desire you?"

Her mind had come to terms with the fact that he definitely liked her that way, possibly more than she had ever liked him, but she didn't quite understand what he was getting at. "Oh, Azzanadra… Wh-what exactly are you saying?"

"I am saying that I very much wish to claim you as my own. Zaros has promised that my loyalty will not go unrewarded… perhaps that reward will be you." Smiling, Azzanadra leaned forward to kiss her once more. "That is, if you'll have me."

Jaina turned pale as she realized exactly what he meant. "_What?_"

"I promise to be gentle." Tilting her chin up so that her gaze met his again, he slowly held out a hand. "Jaina, will you give yourself over to me?"

Jaina stared nervously into his eyes, her mind racing. What was she supposed to do? What should she say? She had always thought him so far out of her league that she had never even considered the possibility of that kind of thing at all. She didn't even normally have any interest whatsoever in sexual relations anyway, not when there was a whole world full of much more exciting things to do—and if she had to think about that, she would remember her wedding night, and then remember the grief of losing Brand all over again.

It was also one thing to sleep with a human, but this would open up whole new cans of worms. Would she even be able to handle him? It wasn't even just his sheer power that was daunting; she was so small by comparison—and he'd promised to be gentle, but "gentle" by Mahjarrat standards might very well mean "only leave you slightly black and blue." And if anyone else ever found out what she'd done…

On the other hand… should she really say no? She would feel terrible about turning him down, and he had done so much for her. If she and he really did feel the same… well, she was sure the Mahjarrat didn't marry, and it'd be foolish to expect that of him. Besides, her curious side was itching to know more… even though he _could_ turn her into paste or shatter her bones, that didn't mean he _would_. The thought of being with someone like that, who had great power but wouldn't misuse it, was starting to seem thrilling, adventurous even. That's what this would be—another adventure, and a new and unusual one at that.

She shut her eyes tight, her thoughts turning into a quick prayer. _Oh, Zaros… I'm so nervous, I don't know what to expect… but if this was meant to happen, then I submit my fate to you… Please watch over me!_

Slowly opening her eyes again, she made her decision.

"Yes…"

She then slowly pulled out her hair ties, letting her hair spill down and over her shoulders, before slipping her quivering hand into his.

That "yes…" oh, he hadn't heard a sound so wonderful since first hearing Zaros' voice again through the communion portal! Oh, how much harder to resist she looked now, with her hair flowing free, her eyes shining brightly, her lips so inviting! Truly the Empty Lord had brought him a gem.

"Very well… Come closer."

She did, a little apprehensively, and he swiftly pulled her into a firm embrace, kissing her once again. As he did, she rose up on tiptoe to respond in kind.

It wasn't long before he slightly parted his lips, this time letting her explore his mouth. She did so curiously, her tongue shakily circling his—though she didn't last very long at it before coming up for air.

He lightly brushed aside several locks of purple hair that were hanging in her eyes, planting kisses on her forehead and cheeks. His hands traveled slowly across, up, and down her figure as he began to trail feverish kisses down her jawline to her neck.

She shivered a little and couldn't help but gasp when she felt his lips brush her neck. Several more shivers went down her spine as he swept her hair aside, kissing and licking at her neck.

"Ah…"

Hearing her small cry urged him on, causing his kisses to grow more intense as he continued making his way down her neck, humming softly as he went. One of his hands slid under her overcoat so he could trace her spine, and already he was feeling around to pull it aside from the front.

Sensing his intentions, Jaina drew back a bit and quickly slipped off her bag, setting it and her staff down and to one side. She then opened her overcoat slightly, blushing deeply, and he guided it off the rest of the way. The silvery-blue garment fell from her shoulders as fluidly and gracefully as her hair had come down, landing on top of her bag.

Her dress, however, was a far different story, as Azzanadra discovered when he let a hand stray up her skirt and tried to slip it up and over her head. The skirt barely moved upward at all, the whole dress fit her too tightly for him to get a hand past her waistline, and no amount of pulling at the neckline from the top could make it budge a hair either.

Trying to hide his growing annoyance, he continued attempting to get the dress to move an inch, but to no avail. It stayed right where it was, closely clinging to her, as if it were possessive of her and didn't want to share her with anything else—almost as if it were taunting him.

This was absolutely ridiculous. He was Azzanadra, champion of Zaros, mightiest of the mighty Mahjarrat, and yet he couldn't get a simple article of clothing off the lovely adventurer before him. How had she even managed to put the wretched thing on?

Jaina blushed and giggled, her gray eyes lighting up as she smiled. "Oh, Azzanadra…" She pointed to something behind her head. "It has buttons in the back."

That explained much! Perhaps he hadn't noticed before because her hair would have been in the way.

It didn't take him long to find the buttons, which were indeed behind her hair. Unfortunately, they were also small—and slick, as they kept slipping out of his grasp nearly every time he tried to get one undone.

How had she ever gotten this accursed dress on, or off? More importantly, who was the fool who had designed something like this? Now he understood why human women had such a reputation for taking forever to get dressed—the cretins who designed their clothing made it near-impossible to get in or out of!

The young adventurer seemed to find the whole thing amusing, if the way she was giggling at his failures was any indication. He certainly didn't understand why she seemed so amused—then again, she had been rather consistently perplexing.

"I don't know how you stand to wear this," he said, managing to get a button loose. "Or why you seem to find this funny."

She blinked. "I'm used to it… Oh, I-I don't mean to laugh at you; I just didn't imagine you'd have problems with something so simple!"

"Watch yourself, my dear. You might very well regret laughing once I'm done with you." One more button undone; he was getting closer. Patience would pay off in the end.

She blinked again, looking confused. "Do I really want to know?"

"You'll see soon enough." Only one more button to go after this one. "Consider wearing the gift I sent you next time."

The last troublesome button finally yielded, and this time when he tried to slip the dress over her head, it gave way and she slipped out of it with relative ease… only to reveal that she had several white cotton bandages binding her chest in place. Just what he needed—yet another annoyance that would take forever to deal with! Zaros would have already returned by the time he found out where those bandages ended or began.

To his relief, Jaina spared him the trouble and quickly loosened her bindings herself, discarding them on top of her other clothing. Her undergarments followed, and she shivered and hastily tried to cover herself.

"Let me see you, Jaina. All of you."

Turning a deep red, she lowered her arms, shivering profusely as she stood before him. Azzanadra smiled softly, his dark eyes seeming to light up as he gazed at the beautiful sight.

She was even lovelier than he could have imagined. Her hair, only partially covering her full breasts, flowed freely over her shoulders and to her middle back in a shock of bright purple. Her hips, although small, were still just wide enough, and her slender legs seemed to go on forever. Her fair skin, almost seeming to glow, was surprisingly devoid of the scars and wounds he had expected to see on such a seasoned adventurer—there were only a few black and blue places and small cuts and scrapes here and there. Evidently she healed well. Part of him wanted to go the usual Mahjarrat way of showing affection and leave her with scars, but another part of him couldn't stand the thought of damaging her. She was like a flower, so soft, so smooth, so bright, so delicate… _his_ little flower.

Oh, how he would revel in everything she had to offer. He wished to explore every inch of her, touch her, kiss her, hear her scream his name... The question was, where to start?

"Jaina… the human female form was a common subject in imperial artworks, and I saw many paintings depicting it—none of them could even compare to you." Placing a hand on her shoulder, he drew her closer. "Senntisten at the height of its glory could have only wished it were as beautiful as you!"

She giggled softly and looked down with an awkward smile, a few strands of hair falling over her eyes. "Oh… you really… why, I… Ah!"

He lifted her up with ease, cutting off her startled cry with a ravenous kiss. As he explored her mouth once more, she pressed closer to him, firmly clinging on tight. He couldn't help but smile against her lips, reveling in how soft and delicate she felt to the touch.

As they came up for air, she fell back slightly, her hair falling to one side to expose her neck. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Azzanadra let her fall further back, just enough so that he had a decent view of her upper half. Keeping one hand on her backside to support her, he moved in to kiss her neck again, his other hand caressing her breasts and stomach.

It occurred to Jaina, even as she continued to let out small cries, that she was going to have to try to be somewhat quiet; after all, she would have to keep this discreet. If she were to scream at the top of her lungs, someone might hear her. She didn't know if she would be able to keep quiet though, what with the way his searing kisses were trailing down her neck, the way his strong hand was stroking and squeezing her breasts, not too roughly, but not too lightly either… She could feel a growing warmth rising in the pit of her stomach, even as she still felt shivers down her spine with every touch.

No sooner had she considered the need to be quiet than he lightly bit down on the sensitive skin of her neck, getting a not-at-all-quiet yelp out of her. Grunting softly, he licked the spot, earning another—slightly quieter, but only slightly—cry from her before he continued trailing kisses down her neck to her collarbone.

He lingered on her collarbone for a bit, still fondling her breasts and stomach, though the sound of her voice encouraged him to go further down—which he did quite eagerly. Taking a moment to admire the view, he turned his attention to her breasts, swiftly catching one in his hand and the other in his mouth.

"Ah—aaaa-ah!" she squeaked loudly, a particularly intense shiver surging through her.

He couldn't help but grin at that as he licked at her breast, relishing how delightful the feeling—and her flavor—was. Adventurer au naturel definitely tasted nice.

"Oh… ah…" Her cries were consistently louder now, and she couldn't help but clutch tightly at his robes as she shivered with delight. He switched sides, his hand and mouth working a little faster, and lightly brushed his growing arousal against her leg as he went.

She let out a loud gasp and recoiled slightly—that had taken her off guard. The warmth she felt was spreading, growing slowly stronger, and the shivers that wracked her no longer felt so cold.

As much as Azzanadra was enjoying this, his urges were only growing, and his clothing seemed more and more constraining with every passing moment. Besides, he wished to feel that luxuriously soft flesh of hers against his own, to let her see him the way he could see her.

Carefully setting her back down, he gave her a quick kiss and proceeded to remove his own clothing, his dark eyes never leaving her. When he was through, he slowly stood up once more and waited for her to look him over.

Jaina stared up at him, wide-eyed, unblinking, her mouth open in a wordless gasp. She was blushing again, and she couldn't help but feel small. He looked just as powerful as he was, with broad shoulders, large, strong arms, sharp-looking claws on his hands, and a very well-muscled physique. There were small, odd spines on the back of his shoulders, and his chest had stripes similar to the ones on his face. The sight only half surprised her; he hadn't looked nearly so well built with his clothing on—and seeing him without his hat, seeing his headspines, was the strangest part. She wouldn't have even been able to imagine him without his hat before now.

She spent several moments staring at his chest, too nervous to look down. She had always found him rather handsome in an odd sort of way; she certainly didn't mind what she saw at all—it was rather fascinating, really. She imagined those strong arms wrapping around her protectively, shielding her from danger… and she wondered what his headspines felt like, what his skin felt like, if his stripes would have a different texture than the rest of him.

Her curiosity soon got the better of her, and she swallowed hard and let her gaze stray downward—only to quickly snap her head straight back up, visibly cringing. She felt small, very small indeed, in more ways than one. The only thing she could think of was pain—she could even almost feel it.

Of course, she had suspected it was going to hurt, but actually seeing just how well endowed he was made her wonder if she would even be able to accommodate him. Presuming she could, would she be spending the whole time in pain?

She couldn't help but think of her first time_—_her memories of her wedding night were hazy, but she would never forget it—it had been painful, and awkward, and she had cried, and Brand had been upset about causing her pain, and she'd bled a lot, and the pain hadn't subsided for awhile. It wasn't that it had been unpleasant; she'd been happy to be with her beloved and would always remember it fondly, but that didn't make it the most amazing night of her life, either. She couldn't remember all the details of what Brand had felt like, but she was pretty sure he had been nowhere near as well endowed.

Hardly had the thought crossed her mind than she mentally cursed herself for having it. She shouldn't be drawing comparisons like that! It was rude and discourteous, and now wasn't the time to think about her dead husband…

Azzanadra was shaking his head. Her reaction had struck a considerable blow to his pride. "You disappoint me, my dear."

Jaina recoiled, looking down at her hands. "Ah… I-I'm sorry…"

"No matter," he said, pulling her firmly close to him. "Don't feel ashamed if you're nervous. I'm sure you will learn to love all of what you see soon enough."

He guided her hands to his shoulders. "Your turn."

Jaina hesitated, her hands trembling, a little unsure of what to do next. The intense warmth she felt from him seemed magical in nature, as if he were radiating power. Though she was still a bit apprehensive, she wished to feel more of him, to revel in his presence, to make him feel the sensations she had… even if she was indecisive about where to begin.

She glanced back up at his gray rejuvenated face, and it suddenly occurred to her what she could do first. Slowly she rose up, slipping one arm over his shoulder, and kissed him on the cheek, her free hand gently reaching up to his headspines. Pressing closer, she brushed her fingers over the firm ridges, curious as to how he might react.

A deep, low growl escaped his throat the moment her fingers touched his head, which became a long, low sort of purring noise as he shuddered with delight. That she was caressing his headspines at all would have felt wonderful, but to feel such graceful, soft hands doing so…

The young mage gave him a curious look. "I… I didn't expect that… Are those really that sensitive to the touch?"

"Indeed…" He embraced her tightly, relishing the feel of her form pressed into his. "It is considered a taboo for anyone to touch a Mahjarrat's headspines, save a mother or a partner. You are, therefore, free to continue touching as you wish."

"Is that why most of the Mahjarrat wear hats and hoods?" she asked, running her hands along the spines on both sides of his head this time.

"Precisely… aah… your hands…" He uttered a deeper purr, closing his eyes to revel in the wondrous sensation. "Do not stop… do not stop!"

Seeing him in such bliss filled her with excitement as well, and she leaned in to lightly kiss his cheek, still caressing his headspines, and then planted one on his mouth. He returned her kiss eagerly, running a hand through her hair as he purred against her lips.

When she drew back, she paused to smile at him. "Have I made up for causing you disappointment yet?"

The Mahjarrat merely laughed and returned the smile. "Why, what a question! Surely you can see the answer right in front of you."

"I-I'll take that as a yes…" The adventurer let her hand drift slowly down his cheek, tracing his facial markings as she kissed him squarely on the mouth once more. He parted his lips, continuing to stroke her hair as he let her explore his mouth.

This time, she was a bit more confident in her exploration, and she seemed to maintain that newfound confidence as she traveled further down, randomly kissing his neck and shoulders, her hands sliding all across his chest. She seemed particularly focused on the stripes.

He shivered with delight, purring deeply at her touch—her kisses were still a little weak, but dear Zaros, was she good with her hands! No longer shaking, those pale, slender hands slowly and gracefully caressed every inch of his physique, and he could feel the curiosity in her touch that he could also see in her eyes. He would let her indulge that curiosity as much as she might wish to, and enjoy every moment of it—well, at least until he could no longer resist taking her. After thousands of years of keeping his desires at bay, even mere minutes were starting to seem like too long to wait.

One of her hands slid further down his stomach, and she abruptly stopped, her hand trembling again. Though she dared not look down at it, she could feel a much more intensely burning heat radiating from what waited below.

Suddenly she felt his hand on her leg, slowly sliding upward. Startled, she recoiled and pulled her hand away from him.

"Part your legs a bit, my dear."

She did so a bit reluctantly, and his fingers traced the inside of her leg before coming to rest on her entrance gate. Hardly had the first cry escaped her lips than he slipped a finger into her, sending a powerful surge up her spine.

"Oh!"

Quickly she shut her mouth, biting the inside of her cheek. She should keep quiet, not let all of Gielinor hear her…

Her insides practically liquefied as he continued, though she did manage to keep her voice down somewhat as she cried out. The pulsing heat that had been spreading through her was growing rapidly stronger, and the magical warmth she felt from him only served to feed the flames further.

"Oh, ah… ah!"

She could feel her insides pulsating rapidly, and she wasn't sure if she could take this much longer—she didn't want him to stop or anything, but she knew she was very close to going over the edge, and the part of her that was still lucid worried she might faint.

Seeing the young adventurer like this, Azzanadra knew he could no longer hold his desire back. He couldn't wait even a minute more; he had to claim her now, make her his. Pushing her firmly against the wall, he lifted her up and carefully positioned her in such a way that she was straddling him, and then positioned himself at her entrance, his gaze locking onto hers.

Sensing his presence there, Jaina swallowed nervously and tensed her spine, trying to brace herself for impact. She felt her apprehension coming back, but there was no turning back now…

"I told you I will be gentle," Azzanadra said, squeezing her shoulders in hopes she would release some of the tension in her spine. "Now, shall I take you?"

Jaina shivered, feeling her mouth go dry, and slowly and shakily nodded. "Y-yes…" Her voice was barely more than a whisper, and the word came out as a pathetic squeak.

"What's that, my dear? I didn't quite hear you."

"Yes!"

This time, the way her voice rang out, loud and clear, nearly startled her. She didn't seem to be doing too well with keeping quiet…

"Very well… Don't mind if I do."

With that he pressed forward and proceeded to enter her slowly, kissing her deeply before she could even make a sound. She shuddered and spasmed, her limbs flailing, and latched onto him for support as he broke the kiss and entered her fully.

Pain—suddenly that was all she knew, splitting, searing pain. Her eyes filled with tears—not again! Hadn't she already cried enough?—it was no use, she was crying now, and desperately trying to blink back the tears only made them flow more freely.

"Aaaaa-ah… ow… dear… Za…ros… I-it hurts…"

It wasn't the worst pain she'd ever felt; she'd endured far worse from being injured and smacked around… That knowledge didn't exactly help though; it wasn't going to make it hurt any less. Had her wedding night been nearly this painful? No, she shouldn't think about that either… Zaros, it really hurt…

Azzanadra merely brushed her tears away and lightly traced her cheek. "Shhh, it will be alright."

For the next few moments he simply held her there, kissing away her tears, reveling in the way she tightly surrounded him, the way her legs were wrapped around him, the heat she radiated both inside and out, the smoothness of her skin against his. Oh, she was absolutely delightful!

She blinked back the next few tears, smiling weakly through her pain, and he moved his lips to her ear. "Now you're mine," he whispered softly.

Then he began to push, his movements slow and fluid so as not to hurt her. With each of his strokes, she couldn't help uttering a cry—considerably louder than before.

As she felt waves of pleasure surge through her, though the pain hadn't faded yet, Jaina wondered just how she had ended up in this spot. She had merely intended to pay respects to her god and meet up with a friend—how had she even gotten to this point from there? On the other hand, it seemed that big, unexpected, world-shaking things tended to happen precisely when she was trying to do simple things. Surprise sexual relations with her friend and mentor was a fairly tame unexpected thing compared to finding an Elder Artifact or witnessing the dawn of a new age…

Azzanadra could never have imagined that a human woman would feel this wonderful in every conceivable way—oh, dear sweet Zaros, if only he could feel her like this forever! This sweet little adventurer was all his, and he never wanted to let her go.

He couldn't help but quicken his pace slightly, letting out deep grunts with each of his thrusts. His own guttural sounds complemented her sharp cries, which had become suddenly louder. Occasionally, he would silence her in mid-cry with a passionate kiss.

While pain was no longer an issue, Jaina realized too late that she couldn't control her voice. She was trying to keep quiet—really, she was. But her efforts were in vain; her cries, now nearly screams, only grew louder as the pulsing heat within her flared up with every movement.

"Ah! Ah—ah!"

Her position didn't allow her to move much at all, but she couldn't help but rock against him, trying to match his pace, her legs wrapping more tightly around him. This only served to urge him on further, and he grunted deeply and went a little faster and rougher—not enough to leave her black and blue, just enough to make her wail a bit louder.

Well, that wasn't the only effect he was having on her. The searing heat spreading from her core, the shockwaves and shivers that wracked her, the rhythm of his movements, the pulsating of her own insides and him inside her… it was getting to be too much… She didn't know how much longer she would last…

"Ah, ah… oh, I… can't… this… aaahh… Gaaaah!"

Her scream, long, loud, immodest, and joyous, reverberated through the temple walls and could be heard on the surface above—and the poor workers who had been unlucky enough to get the night shift panicked, thinking they were hearing the wailing of a ghost—as white heat ripped through her and she convulsed uncontrollably from her powerful release.

_Too soon!_ He still had a ways to go, though he had been holding back—too well, it seemed. On the other hand, it was absolutely amazing to see her go over the edge like that, to know that he had brought her there! And the wonderful sound of her voice crying out in such ecstasy—oh, he only wished that she would have screamed his name, and then it would have been perfect!

Grunting harshly, he quickened his movements again, his own breaking point close around the corner—oh, so close, yet so far—as she fell silent and went limp. The only sounds she made now were desperate gasps for air.

"Ah, my sweet… Jai… na…" he cried out, and, with one final push, kissed her once more as his own release overwhelmed him. Oh dear sweet Zaros, to think that a short-lived human could do this to him! Oh, she was indeed exquisite!

Such a shame it had to end… Gently he lifted her up and curled up with her on the floor, rocking her tightly against him as the last few waves of pleasure slowly subsided. She lay there weakly, eyes closed, head resting on his shoulder, still desperately gasping for breath.

The next few moments passed in silence, save for the purple-haired girl's ragged breathing. When she finally opened her eyes, they were filled with tears again.

Why was she crying? She wasn't hurt, half-dead, or anything; she had no reason to cry like an idiot in front of him now! Yet the waterworks were flowing again anyway… She buried her face in his shoulder, shivering a little as she silently wept.

He was the first to break the silence. "Was I too much for you, my little adventurer?"

"Oh… n-no…" She looked up at him, lips quivering as she shakily smiled. "I—I had a wonderful time…"

She slowly sat up and began to reach for her clothing, but he pulled her into a firm embrace and brushed a few stray locks of hair out of her eyes. "Jaina, wait. I can't let you go just yet."

Jaina blinked. She hadn't intended to be so rude as to leave right away; she had only thought she should get dressed again.

"Uh… Why? Is there anything else you want me to do first?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" His dark eyes gazed down at her, traveling all over her form. "Considering as I have a very lovely adventurer at my side, and the night is still young…"

She shook her head wearily. "Your lovely adventurer is too burned out to handle any more at the moment."

"Ha ha… how very human." Azzanadra smiled and kissed her forehead. "You do realize, my dear, that this is only the beginning? I will certainly be wishing to do this again—I do hope you will wish to as well."

Jaina bit her lip, feeling her mouth go dry. "Uh… so I'm your lover now?"

"My consort," he corrected, lightly tracing her spine. "You are willing, yes?"

"I-I'm willing… It'll take some getting used to, but I could reasonably do that… and I'd rather be with you than getting ranted at to go fight for Saradomin…" She blushed deeply and glanced at her hands. "Though I'm a little worried… I can't tell anyone about this …"

"You needn't worry, my dear. This matter will remain between you, me, and the Empty Lord—for now, anyway. I see no reason my brothers cannot know eventually."

Jaina frowned uncertainly. "Are you sure the others would accept us? That they wouldn't think I'm trying to distract you from important duties?"

"I am not about to waver in my devotion and hard work simply because I look forward to your company," Azzanadra said steadfastly. "My brothers have known me long enough that they should understand that—and you are their friend as well."

She nodded, gazing up at him with a hopeful smile. "I… Azzanadra… For the first time since Guthix's chambers… I-I'm happy… and I feel like I can face the future bravely…"

Azzanadra let his hand catch in her hair, his dark eyes gazing warmly into her gray ones. "One thing is certain, whatever happens. The Empty Lord will return very soon, and on that glorious day, we will dance. Among… other things, later."

Jaina's eyes lit up, and she smiled, blushing a deep red. "I will look forward to it."


End file.
